


Some People are just Born with Tragedy in their Blood

by Pinkwebby



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Cussing, Deviant Upgraded Connor | RK900, Emotional Hurt, Established Relationship, Heavy Angst, Hurt No Comfort, Kidnapping, M/M, Mild Blood, Minor Injuries, Non-Graphic Violence, Post-Canon, Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:42:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24635524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pinkwebby/pseuds/Pinkwebby
Summary: Some things just don't go as planned, and Gavin seems to have that happen a lot. But now Nines has been thrown into the mix.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Comments: 12
Kudos: 60





	Some People are just Born with Tragedy in their Blood

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much to MechanicalBones for beta'ing for me! You're such a gem and I love you dude!
> 
> [MechanicalBones AO3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MechanicalBones/pseuds/MechanicalBones)

“If I ain’t talking to your boss, I ain’t talking at all,” Gavin spat, his voice rising with anger like a tidal wave, preparing to crash into an unsuspecting shoreline.

He shouldn’t be so surprised it all went south so fucking fast. Being a detective made it hard not to get into trouble. But fuck if trouble didn’t follow Gavin around like the fucking plague. And each time it reared its ugly head, Gavin was swallowed deeper and deeper into the fray. 

These murder cases took a strange turn and Gavin may or may not have gotten a little obsessed with closing the case.

To think that the string of CyberLife employee murders had ties to some underground android mafia? Not really something he expected to uncover. Quite frankly, that was pretty fucking low on his list. Like, probably not on there at all. An underground android mafia? Fuck if the world wasn’t starting to sound like a goddamn science fiction novel.

Did he expect an android to commit the murders or even a few together? Yeah, he wasn’t a dumb-ass. But this? This was so much to soak in that it made Gavin’s brain hurt.

Or maybe that was because he nearly had his head smashed in by an android with a crusty-ass pipe. That could also be why his head pounded and his brain felt as though it had been splattered against the side of his skull. 

He should be worried about himself. Fuck, he really should be. But there was a more pressing issue at hand. 

They had Nines. 

When shit hit the fan, like it usually did when Gavin was involved, Nines had gotten swept up in the crossfire. They probably had him tied to a chair somewhere as well, bleeding and hurt.

Gavin was so fucking worried, that the androids could probably hear the thundering of his heart pounding in his chest. Honestly, he was surprised it didn’t crack through his ribs.

This shouldn’t have happened. It was just a routine check-up on a CyberLife employee they had under protection. She was just an anxious young woman, probably less than thirty years old. She had joined CyberLife because it had been her life dream. She loved robots as a kid and just wanted to create something amazing. 

Because of that, her life was cut way too short. There had been so much fucking blood that Gavin actually got nauseous.

If Nines hadn’t been there, holding his hand and running his fingers through his hair-

That’s probably what screwed them in the first place. 

Nines had been so focused on Gavin’s comfort and well-being that he didn’t notice the other androids in the vicinity. Nines was hit first, something solid and hard smashed into the back of his neck that had him crumpling against Gavin. As for Gavin, unable to hold up that weight, went crashing to the ground. As Gavin tried to reach for his cellphone, something cracked the side of his head as well. 

Look where it got him. 

Here he was, strapped to a fucking chair in a room with one door, guarded by fucking androids.

Wasn’t life just fucking amazing?

“You don’t get to speak to him, he certainly doesn’t want to see you,” one gooney laughed at him, to which Gavin rolled his eyes with a huff.

“Well clearly he’s keeping me alive for something. Torture or some shit, I don’t know. But I don’t know jack shit,” he dismissed, voice low and dark. He doesn’t take being threatened lightly and the end game of this was in clear view. Once they knew he wasn’t important, they would get rid of him. Permanently. And though Gavin had never been afraid to die before, he had something to live for now.

_Someone._

He would be damned if he was dying here while Nines could be in trouble. They were going to get out of here, even if Gavin had to fight tooth and nail. He would not die here and leave Nines to his fate. 

Wherever the hell his boyfriend was?

Gavin would find him and get him out. No matter where he was, no matter the fucking cost. Nines was his number one. Always. Maybe that was foolish, considering that their work was more ‘important’ and he should try to find a way to call for some sort of back-up. God he could already hear the lecture from Fowler when they got back. If they ever got back. 

But then again, Gavin wasn’t always the most rational person, was he?

The androids whispered to one another, glancing over at Gavin nervously while he glared back at them. He tested the tightness of the zip-ties holding down his legs and wrists. 

They were on relatively tight and it fucking hurt to move his wrists. Knowing his luck, he must have sprained it when he hit the ground at an odd angle. Fuck.

Gavin gritted his teeth together. Such a shitty situation they had gotten themselves in and it was quite clearly the royal, because Gavin had no idea where Nines was. 

He just needed to see him. To know he was okay.

His thoughts began to swirl in his head, grey eyes wandering the expanse of the room to get some sort of hint of where he was. Nothing but a damn empty concrete room, nothing special about it. No furniture or signs. 

He had to be in a warehouse of sorts, or some kind of abandoned building. The problem though, was if Gavin were to somehow get free, the only fucking door was behind the two androids who were currently talking with their LEDs going rave status.

Maybe getting some information would help him figure his plan out.

“Where is my partner?” Gavin finally forced out.

One of them, a PM700 by the looks of her, turned to him with a light laugh. It would’ve been cute if they weren’t in such a horrible situation. “That’s none of your concern now, Detective.”

Damn fucking androids.

“Yes it fucking is, you shitty little tin-can! Where the hell is he?!” Gavin snarled out in his growing anger. He had to know where his boyfriend was, the love of his life. He needed to know he was okay. Please God, let him be okay.

Once Gavin knew Nines was okay, he didn’t care what happened to himself.

The android’s face twisted up into a sinister smirk that sent a cold shiver down Gavin’s spine. He didn’t even know their faces could look that fucking malicious. That face held so many promises behind it, and not the good kind. The kind that would either leave him crying in agony for days to come or with a bullet in his brain.

“Our boss… is being generous. He wants to make an offer. If you get to see your precious partner, that you tell him everything you know about CyberLife,” the android explained, tapping her fingers on the side of her face with comically wide eyes that screamed innocence, but Gavin knew better.

“Yes! I’ll do it! I’ll tell him anything if I can see Nines,” Gavin burst out before a single rational thought could enter his head. It wasn’t as if he had anything to lose. 

Elijah could suck a fat one for all he cared, if they wanted to know his brother’s secrets he would gladly tell them. It was clear from the murders they are trying to send his shit-bird brother a message. A message that he was not getting apparently. 

“Good choice, Detective. They will bring him in.”

Just like that, the door opened while the PM700 stepped over to him and began to remove his zip-ties. She leaned in real close and at this angle, he could see the blue in her eyes, “if you try anything, he will be forced to hurt you.”

“He?” Gavin repeated as the zip-ties were cut off. The android didn’t speak with him anymore as he stood up, merely waving her hand in the air with another soft smile. 

“Enjoy your time, Detective!” She called on joyfully, before Nines walked in. 

He looked... rather good for someone who was supposedly trapped just as Gavin was. 

His jacket was missing, and there wasn’t a drop of blue blood on his clothes even though he had his head blown in by a pipe. But Gavin didn’t care, fuck, not one bit. Because he was here, he was alive and standing in front of him.

“Nines, baby!” Gavin rushed up to him in relief and reached up to cup his cheeks, “please tell me you’re okay. That they didn’t hurt you anymore. They look like they’ve been treating ya better than me.” He turned the RK900’s head from side-to-side, examining his face like it was the last time he would see it. 

Maybe it would be.

“I’m fine, love. They’ve been...” Nines swallowed visibly, which had Gavin tensing up. After a breath, he spoke again with a firmer voice, “they’ve been probing my memories to get information. Torturing me mentally. They’re trying to break me, Gavin. I’m terrified.”

Just to hear that anguish in Nines voice, it broke Gavin. The anger that had been boiling just under the surface finally overflowed and he yanked his hands away from Nines’ face, which earned a shocked look from the android.

“That’s it, I’m getting us out of here. And I’m gonna make sure that none of those bastards get out of here alive!” Gavin growled out as he moved towards the door with purpose. Gavin prided himself in how much better control he had over his anger, but this? No, he wouldn’t tolerate this. 

They could all go to hell for all he cared. Every single one of them. Because if they hurt Nines? He wouldn’t give them a single shred of mercy.

Before he reached the door, a hand grabbed onto his bicep roughly and wrenched him back with surprising strength. Gavin hit Nines’ broad chest with an ‘oomph’ and he glared up at his boyfriend with contempt.

“Don’t stop me, Nines. You know they don’t deserve to live. They’ve killed so many fucking people, and a lot of those people didn’t deserve their gruesome deaths,” he hissed out, trying to pull away.

“I’m sorry, Gavin. I can’t let you do that. They’ll kill you… I could kill you,” Nines whispered, fear in his voice. Fear that made Gavin pause and consider the android in front of him. If he was saying that then… then...

“What have they done to you, baby?”

“They did something to me while I was in a forced stasis. My mind palace was corrupted and my missions have been altered. Sometimes I’m not myself, I can’t control it. They’ve turned me into something I don’t want to be. You can’t... save me, Gavin, I’m-”

“Bullshit, Nines! That’s not true, they haven’t done anything to you! And even if they have, I would never stop trying to save you. Don’t you dare even suggest that, it’s out of the question.”

“They want me to kill you, Gavin. This was a trap. You shouldn’t have agreed to see me again. I’m going to end up hurting you,” Nines gasped out, tears slipping from his eyes.

Gavin didn’t even know he could cry.

“I know you would never hurt me. You aren’t some killing machine. You’re my Nines. You’re the person I want to spend the rest of my life with,” Gavin replied in a thick voice as he pulled his hand from Nines’ grip and slid them over Nines’ chest instead. 

“You need to get away, Gavin! We don’t have much time, please! I don’t want… I don’t want to hurt you. Please, love.”

Gavin didn’t reply, he just put his hands back on his cheeks and held them softly before pulling him in for a chaste kiss. Lame and cliche, maybe, but if Nines was correct, then maybe it would delay whatever the fuck this was for just a little longer. To keep Nines here. Because he wouldn’t lose him. Not to some mind control bullshit. Fuck that.

But as soon as he removed his mouth from Nines’, there was a beat of silence where they both stared at one another. Then, Nines’ face went slack. All the pain and sorrow disappeared within an instance.

For the first time in their whole relationship, Gavin was frightened of his boyfriend. 

Nines had never looked at him like that before… and fuck it hurt. It hurt so fucking much.

Two hands grabbed his forearms and squeezed them so tightly that Gavin let out a hiss of pain.

Nines, with a firm grip on Gavin’s arms, twisted them around and bodily threw Gavin across the room. He hit the concrete harder than he expected and blood filled his mouth from the sudden impact. Fuck.

Gavin grit his teeth together as he tried to struggle to his feet. He couldn’t defeat Nines, he wouldn’t even be able to lay a finger on him. Gavin wouldn’t be able to beat Nines physically, and he wouldn’t be able to emotionally either. Mostly because he was a top-of-the-line android who was built to fight. But there was another, deeper reason.

Because Gavin loved him.

“Nines, baby please. Try to come back to yourself. You know you don’t want to do this,” Gavin croaked out as he finally got back up on his feet. The ground felt like it was moving and it had him stumbling heavily right into the concrete wall. Fuck, he hoped that he didn’t get a concussion from that throw, though he probably already had one from that hit earlier in the day. But fuck, that would really dampen his already shitty mood right about now.

Only silence responded to him as Nines walked up to him with purpose. Gavin flattened himself against the wall, putting up his hands in defense. But, of course, it did nothing to deter Nines as he reached Gavin and wrapped a firm hand around his throat, easily sliding him up the wall. 

Those digits began to cut off his air circulation, his lungs screaming in protest. Gavin let out a choked noise and scrabbled at Nines’ wrist that was attached to the hand around his throat. In record speed, black dots and splotches began to dance into his vision.

“Nines… It’s okay. Everything’s fine, I love you, I really do,” Gavin managed to rasp out as he began to feel light-headed. It wasn’t long before he stopped struggling and thought he might pass the fuck out. But the hand released him and he slid to the ground with a sharp gasp. 

As he tried to regain control of his limp body, he was barely aware of a familiar laugh ringing out above him.

“You should’ve seen the look on your face,” was the first thing he heard. Gavin’s head had never jerked up as quickly as it did in that moment. He stared at Nines incredulously, swallowing so hard it fucking hurt his now-tender throat.

“Nines? What’s… What’s going on?” He coughed out, spitting out his blood. Maybe he heard him wrong, he did let him go. So maybe Nines was okay.

“You’re so thick sometimes, Detective. I’m not sure how you didn’t see this coming.” Nines squatted down next to Gavin’s panting form. He reached over and grabbed a fistful of Gavin’s hair and yanked on it so the man was facing him. Gavin let out another hiss at the pain.

The gears began turning within his head as he stared into those cold, calculating eyes. The eyes that used to be so soft and sweet for him, the ones he looked into during throes of pleasure, the ones he adored so much.

Finally, it clicked.

“You’re...a part of this whole scheme,” he finally coughed out, grey eyes wide with realization.

“Oh how the tables have turned, Gavin. And I thought you were so much more clever than you let on. Yet, you never suspected me once,” Nines laughed and Gavin could hear a darkness in it that he never expected from the android he once loved.

 _Still_ loved.

“Because I-”

“Because you love me, is that right? Gavin… It’s noble. That you would allow yourself to die by my hands because you didn’t want to hurt me. But extremely foolish,” Nines tilted his head, “the fact is, I don’t love you in return. I never did.”

It was a punch in the gut to hear that, no, it was like a stab in his fucking heart. That he had been played for a fool this entire time. And why? Why would Nines do this? What could he possibly gain from twisting Gavin around his little finger? He wanted to think this through, to get the answers on his own. But his mind was frustratingly blank, the sting on betrayal still bitter on his tongue.

“Oh pet, I can see the confusion in your eyes. Silly of me to expect you to understand so quickly. Clearly I am overestimating you once again,” Nines stood up and began to pace in front of Gavin. 

Before Gavin could speak, he beat him to it. “When Connor activated me and turned me into a deviant, I was terrified. All the things I saw in Connor’s memories were so awful. I could feel the cold metal of Hank’s gun on my forehead, and I could feel you punching me in the gut over something as simple as a coffee. And I realized that I didn’t want to be treated that way. Ever. And I didn’t want Connor to go through that anymore either.”

Gavin pressed both hands to the floor to prepare to get up. Even if the dizzying feeling wouldn’t go away. He wasn’t sure if he could do anything right now besides stare at the floor. If he tried to look at Nines? He might start crying. 

Because everything? All the affection, the love, the sex, and dates, it was fucking fake. Nines didn’t feel a thing for him. The pure shock from it was still on his brain and he just… refused to believe it. They had to be controlling him, right? This was just some sick joke! After all the time they spent together… Nines couldn’t do this to him! 

Nines _wouldn’t_ do this to him. Would he?

“CyberLife wanted to regain control of androids after the revolution. We were all scared for our lives, especially with humans becoming more aggressive towards us. So I began to make an underground android movement, something different from Markus’ little pity party. Bigger, better, and more deadly for those who opposed us.” After a brief pause for impact, he added, “a mafia.”

All Gavin could do was stare in utter disbelief.

“There were plenty who agreed with me, plenty who were so desperate for protection from those who harmed them, that they came to me for that. But I had no idea how to get things off the ground. When Connor casually mentioned that he could secure me a spot within the DPD, as your partner, no less, I was rather excited.” How could he speak as though he hadn’t just torn Gavin’s heart right out of his chest?

“So what? You knew that I was Elijah’s brother, is that it? You- you wanted to get close to me to get information about him?” He questioned bitterly, his rage slowly increasing again as more details were presented to him and pieces were strung together. 

His hurt is masked with a fury that he was struggling to contain. It leaked into his very core and he clenched his fists. He couldn’t even begin to form the goddamn words he wanted to say to Nines.

“That was one reason. It wasn’t exactly public knowledge that you were Elijah Kamski’s brother, but I was able to do enough digging into his background and find it out myself. It wasn’t the only reason I wanted this job. I wanted to be able to keep tabs on how much you would figure out about what we were doing. To make sure you didn’t get too close.”

Right. Because the only fucking reason he got so close to Gavin was so Gavin didn’t get too close to him? Bullshit!

“I wanted you to focus your attention on something else. I didn’t think I’d be able to crack that tough exterior you always wear, but after a few attempts, it became rather easy to break you off piece by piece until you were in love with me like some puppy.”

“How fucking dare you, you fucking plastic prick! You think that you can just twist and pull on someone’s emotions like that? And then just kill whoever you want? Like you’re some kind of god? You’re a sick fuck!” Gavin spat out, every word he uttered stinging his throat as they left. Fuck.

“Gavin, I don’t think I’m a god. I know I am. I’m all androids’ salvation. Markus was just a prelude to what I’m going to do. You were just a fucking pawn in my chess game. Expendable, weak, and useless in the grand scheme of things,” Nines spat out and Gavin could feel Nines’ growing agitation like a tidal wave. It terrified him. If Nines didn’t care about him at all, what would he do to him?

“What are you gonna do now, big boy? Ya gonna kill me? Because I’ve become obsolete?” Gavin snapped back with false confidence, unable to get his legs to work. 

There was no escape from this, Nines had the upper hand and even though he had betrayed Gavin and lied to him and never ever once loved him, he still couldn’t hurt him. As much as he wanted too.

“I’m thinking, Detective. Don’t interrupt,” Nines huffed calmly as he stopped pacing. Gavin stared up at him, quickly wiping away any tears that dare threaten to slip free from his eyes. It was pathetic, he was fucking pathetic. 

He was a fool for letting anyone get this close.

“So all of it was fake, Nines? Everything we’ve been through? The late nights, the things I shared with you that I would never tell anyone else, every time we kissed, all of it? Just… you humoring me until you got what you want?”

“I thought that I made it pretty obvious, _love_. Nothing is more important to me than killing Elijah Kamski and making sure that humans know that we, as androids, are equal, even if I have to lie and kill for it. That you let me in so easily is your own fault. I’m sorry that you can’t accept that.” Nines walked up to him and crouched back down in front of him. “I’m really sorry.”

“Yeah, me fucking too, Nines. Me too.” Gavin watched in fear as the android pulled a gun from the back of his pants and cocked it. Panic swept over him and he reached out instinctively with trembling hands. Nines stared at his hands that tried to grab his with a blank expression and tilted his head much like a cat.

"W-wait, baby- I mean, Nines... I thought you wanted information," he quickly said, his breath shallow as he stared at the barrel of the gun. The thought of dying to Nines' hands? It made him fucking sick to his stomach, out of all the ways he could die. And it turned out to be Nines who would pull that fucking trigger. His life was just a series of tragedies. It was like it ran in his blood.

"Afraid to die, my love? Don't worry, I got all the information I need without you. That was merely a ruse," Nines reached out and patted his cheek a couple times and Gavin couldn't believe that was the last touch he would ever get from Nines. It didn't matter that the android betrayed him, or Gavin was fucking livid with him. But he would never ever stop loving Nines. No matter how much he did to him.

"Fuck off," Gavin finally spat out in response. He'll swallow the blood in his mouth before he swallowed his god damn pride.

“Goodbye, Gavin.” Nines chuckled, fucking _chuckled_ , and pried his hands from his. He pressed the warm end of the pistol to his forehead, and Gavin glanced up at it before his eyes focused on Nines’. He memorized his face, so he could remember it for eternity. All the soft looks, the beautiful smiles, everything. Because he would miss it so much. 

At least his last moments would be with Nines. No matter what. And he wasn't dying in some side alley in the shitty part of Detroit. That was the only plus he could think of as his throat bobbed heavily.

He squeezed his eyes shut, “I love you, Nines.”

~

The shot rang out and Nines looked away immediately. He couldn’t look as he stood up stiffly. He couldn’t watch Gavin’s body slump back against the wall, lifeless and limp with dull grey eyes. Eyes that were usually so full of a beautiful spark that he had come to adore.

He loved Gavin Reed. 

In a cruel twist of fate, he found himself falling in love with the brash detective. And it hurt, everything hurt. His artificial heart, that was never supposed to feel warmth for another being, that pumped blood through his systems and kept him functioning, it shattered. And it shouldn’t. 

But it did. 

Everything he had come to love about Gavin was turned against him in those last few moments. His stubbornness, his cleverness, the way his eyebrows pinched together when he was trying his hardest to hold back that anger that simmered under the surface. 

Never did anything feel heavier in that moment than the gun he pressed against the detective’s forehead.

His detective.

But he would not waver, he would not get pulled from his mission. Everything was too important to throw away on something as simple as love. He had thought too many times about running away with Gavin Reed, and it needed to come to an end.

“Did you kill him?” A familiar voice questioned from the doorway.

As Nines looked up, he almost thought Connor had somehow found them. But it was merely Sixty, Connor’s counterpart that had been thrown out like trash when he couldn’t complete what he was created to do. Another injustice.

Nines’ hand slowly traveled up to his face where he wiped away a stray tear with an unnecessary breath out, “I did. Have someone come clean up this mess.”

He tucked his gun back in his waistband and walked out of the room with a stone-cold mask.

No one but Nines would understand the desolation he would carry around for the rest of his life for the death of one Gavin Reed.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope that twist caught some off guard! I know I ended up tagging death on the fic, but I thought it was better to warn. I just didn't want to give away too much! Thank you so much for reading! Please don't forget to leave kudos and comments! I would really appreciate it!


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